Introducing our April Studio Feature, Angela Hatch Photography! As a full-service newborn photographer, Angela prides herself on taking her newborn sessions from start to finish and providing her clients with the best experience possible. Based in Utah, Angela lives with her husband Dave and their Pomeranian/Australian Sheppard mix. Continue reading to learn more about Angela and how she got her start in the adorable world of newborn photography!

Studio Name
Angela Hatch Photography

Studio Location
Riverton, UT

Website
www.angelahatchphotography.com

What is your background and how did it lead to photography?
I went to college and could not for the life of me decide on a major. I finally decided on Speech Pathology because I love singing and thought that I would find it interesting studying the human voice. It really was fascinating, but once I graduated I had to decide if I was going to go and get my masters, or just find some corporate job somewhere and see how that went. I really did not want to get my Masters and sadly decided that Speech Pathology was not for me and so started the super random job journey. I worked at the Senator's office for a year, then at a youth camp for a summer, then at Enterprise Rent-A-Car for about 8 months, and then a friend of mine (who worked at a local studio) said that they were hiring and they were going to be training some photographers. I was so excited! I said yes and immediately started the three month training process. It was a blast and also one of the hardest and most stressful things I have ever done. You would feel super accomplished one day, and then like a total failure the next. Photography is hard and so fulfilling all at once, especially when you're learning! After a year, that business closed it's doors, and I found a different office job once again. After a month or two, I just really started to miss photography. I decided I was going to do it on my own, and I decided that I just had to focus on babies, because they really are my favorite, and I loved being able to do that out of my home. So long story even longer, that's how I came to be a photographer! I never would have guessed it growing up, but here I am!.

What type of photography do you shoot the most, and what is your favorite type of photography?
I shoot mostly newborn photography, and I cannot get enough of cute little babies. My husband always tells me I'm a bit of a baby creeper because I just stare at random babies sometimes. I only do it because they're adorable and I can't help it!

My favorite type of photography is when a photo shows real emotion. I love getting cute family shots with the baby, or just mommy and the baby. It's rewarding to capture the amount of love that they have for that new life they just brought into the world.

What is your photographic style and aesthetic? How did you develop this style?
I love clean, simple, soft, and classic. I am not one for giant bows or tons of ruffles, I just love simple. I think that when the photo is simple, the real message and memory of that moment comes through. You aren't distracted by all the stylistic "stuff". I think that's always been my preference, even before I was a photographer. As I've gotten more into photography, I seek other photographers that emulate the style that I love, and I just take bits and pieces from each of them to create my own version of simple, beautiful, baby art.

What is in your photography kit?
I use a Nikon D700 and I have a 50 mm 1.8, a 35 mm 1.4, and a 24-70 2.8. I use the 35 the most with baby photography because I love that I can get everything in without being far away. I'm also only 5'2", so when standing above a baby I need all the help I can get to get everything in the frame! I don't have a super macro lens, but I do have magnifying filters that I put on my 50 mm when I want a really close up detail shot. I love them oh so much and wouldn't do a session without them.

What post processing tools do you use?
I edit in Lightroom and use a couple of Erin Tole Presets as well as my own tweaking. After fixing the color and style of the photo in Lightroom, I pull the photos into Photoshop if I need to fix baby's skin, or extend a background or fix anything that may have been askew. Nothing too fancy with editing because I don't like when babies end up looking fake in photos, so I try to keep it simple but just fix distractions so you can focus on how cute the baby is.

What was the gist of your business plan when you first started?
My husband and I are thinking about starting our family, and I would love to stay home with my kids. My business plan is based on me building a boutique newborn experience that would give my customers a great service, beautiful photos, let me stay home with my children, not work full time hours, and help pay the bills as well.

What is your best photography tip and post processing tip?

My best photography tip is invest in your education and keep trying to improve. I do this every day and I hope one day to be everything that I want to be as a photographer, but I'm really not sure that's possible! There is always room for growth and improvement. Also, make sure and learn how to focus on a certain point and to never give clients blurry photos.

My best post-processing tip would be learn Lightroom. It is so simple and such a time saver! You can edit one photo and then sync all of the photos to that one and your editing time is almost nothing.

What was your greatest challenge so far as a professional photographer?
Building a business is hard, and there are days when I get frustrated or discouraged about that. The greatest challenge is picking myself back up after a set back and just trying something else and pushing forward. I know it's worth it and that if I can push forward I can make anything happen. It just takes time and hard work.

What three things should you prioritize when starting a photography business?
1. Family. This should always come first no matter what. It's the only thing that really matters in this world.
2. Learn your camera and your shooting style before starting a business. You need to be able to give people nice photos. They don't have to be the best, but they need to be good.
3. Learning business skills. This is super important because you will be actually running a business! Not just taking photos. So I would say that this is as or even more important than actually knowing how to take pictures.

Any last words of wisdom?
Have courage and be kind. Cinderella said it best!

To learn more about Angela Hatch Photography head to her website or connect with Angela on Social Media:
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